I have been looking at hotels and temp apartment rentals to stay at in Paris. It seems that an apartment or BB are much more affordable (its costs half as much). Not to mention the fact that I can use a washer/dryer, frig, microwave, etc. Has anyone rented a temp apartment or stayed at a BB that can give me any advice? Are there are potential problems I do not realize?
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Picture, you might look at the classifieds on www.SlowTravel.com to see some apartment providers for side by side comparison. Also you can check www. vrbo.com for apartments rented by the owners. Apartments provide a much better value than hotels, unless you%26#39;re absolutely insistent on room service, maid service, etc. I generally think it%26#39;s better to rent from an individual apartment owner than to go through one of the agencies that handles dozens or hundreds of apartments, simply because you%26#39;re more likely to get personalized service, both before and during your stay.
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I agree with Truffaut that apartments represent a beeter deal, money wise. You usually end up with a much larger space, plus the flexibility of being able to prepare your own meals if you wish. And sometimes a washer to do laundry. (Dryers are not so common in France).
On the other hand, my wife likes having daily maid service, and NOT having to cook meals while in Paris, together with room service and having someone like a concierge to assist when needed.
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It%26#39;s funny about cooking the meals. We find that when guests rent our apartment, they almost never cook meals other than breakfast or perhaps sandwiches at lunch. Even when we%26#39;re there ourselves, that%26#39;s about all the workout the kitchen gets, even though it%26#39;s fully equipped.
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I am a huge fan of renting houses or apartments. We travel with our family of two young children and usually another family member or two. So we love to have the space of an apartment, where we can all hang out after a long day, drink wine, listen to music, cook our own meal if we want to save money or someone doesn%26#39;t feel like going out and plan the next day journey. Meeting in a hotel lobby just doesn%26#39;t do it for us--can%26#39;t wear your Pj%26#39;s :). We also enjoy %26quot;living%26quot; like the locals. I get claustrophobia in just one small hotel room and we honestly can%26#39;t afford a suite in a hotel....so renting an apartment is THE way to go for all of our needs/desires.
We did a B%26amp;B farm house in Rieucross, France - about an hour south of Toulouse. And we have done many B%26amp;B%26#39;s in US and England/Scotland. We really enjoy the interaction of the host/hostess and meeting other guests. This is not for everyone--some friends of ours hate this kind of stay as they felt everyone could %26quot;hear%26quot; them in the house. How many times have I %26quot;heard%26quot; the lovers next door at a hotel?? Too many times on our many Vegas trips. So I don%26#39;t find it intimidating at all. The benefits of staying with a local family are great--suggestions, directions, food from the local area, etc.
www.perfectlyparis.com We have rented from Gail, she is great and the apartment was wonderful.
www.parisperfect.com - Higher end, very nice--perfect for a honeymoon.
www.vrbo.com - lots to choose from we have found rentals all over the world here
www.craigslist.com - Paris -- mostly private rentals that are generally for a specific week where the owner will be out of town
www.homeexchange.com -- look on the country you want and then hit on vacation rentals at the top of the page.
http://www.frenchleave.com/leperie.htm --where we stayed in Southern France.
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Truffaunt-
We many times don%26#39;t cook a full dinner at the apt. But this last trip we did, we needed to eat early in the evening in order to allow time to get to an event in the evening. It worked out well and we saved money. We did all our breakfasts there and made a couple of lunches. It really made the kids feel comfortable. But I too don%26#39;t like to cook on vacation-so suppers are usually eaten out. :)
Where is your apartment--can you post the link again. I would like to look at it.
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Truffaut,
Maybe the cooking thing is that with so much fine food available, why cook? I agree that it%26#39;s nice to have the option, but I love dining out, and Paris is nirvana for that. But perhaps the main reason that I always enjoyed staying in an apartment is that I felt somehow like I was a little closer to the local population and how they lived. In a hotel, I was always surrounded by other tourists, and the only locals were the employees of the hotel.
I think B%26amp;B%26#39;s provide a nice middle ground in that respect, but I am not familiar with any in Paris proper.
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Cyber:
Our site is www.RentalApartmentParis.com
On another thread, you mentioned that you had a babysitter in Paris. Was her name Lauren? If so, she%26#39;s a friend of ours and manages our Paris apartment.
Others:
I think getting to know the locals and getting a real feel for the non-touristy areas of a city is the biggest benefit to renting an apartment. In a real neighborhood, you%26#39;ll develop a comforting routine even if you%26#39;re only there for a week. You arrive on a Sunday and when you walk in the door of the next-door cafe on Wednesday morning, they%26#39;ll make your coffee the way you like without even asking what you want. :)
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Wow Truffaut! If I can talk my husband into coming with me next time, I%26#39;m begging to stay in your apartment. C%26#39;est magnifique!
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Cody,
Well, you know us Kentuckian-Marylanders have good taste! We designed it to be primarily our home in Paris, so we put more effort (and money) into the furnishings than I think is typical.
There are a lot of short-term rental properties in Paris. Many of them are very nice, but some are very basic. When considering an apartment, I think it makes sense to ask the owner if that%26#39;s where they stay when they%26#39;re in Paris. If not, you might want to ask why not!
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bon Jour: Since it is not mine I can suggest it. Perhaps if you meet
the criteria you could persuade Truffaut to let you his since he did
mention he does have one in Paris. I love to pull my %26quot;dip stick%26#39; out
and stir up le mix. medici.
Pardon moi,
if by suggesting such I offend you Monsieur Truffaut, but who better to do biz with than ye who we have all come to know love and at times passionately dis agree, yet never being disagreeable. Touche%26#39;, Madame marie medici
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